Electronic Transport of MoS Monolayered Flakes Investigated by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy.

The amazing properties of 2D materials are envisioned to revolutionize several domains such as flexible electronics, electrocatalysis, or biosensing. Herein we introduce scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) as a tool to investigate molybdenum disulfide in a straightforward fashion, providing localized information regarding the electronic transport within chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown crystalline MoS single layers having micrometric sizes. Our investigations show that within flakes assemblies some flakes are well electrically interconnected, with no detectable contact resistance, whereas others are not electrically connected at all, independent of the size of the physical contact between them.

New Insights into the Electronic Transport of Reduced Graphene Oxide Using Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy.

The present work investigates the electronic conduction of reduced graphene oxide flakes and the coupling between flakes through a combined SECM (scanning electrochemical microscopy), AFM, and SEM analysis. Images of individual and interconnected flakes directly reveal the signature of the contact resistance between flakes in a noncontact and substrate-independent way. Quantitative evaluation of the parameters is achieved with the support of numerical simulations to interpret the experimental results.

Enhancing the Performances of P3HT:PCBM-MoS3-Based H2-Evolving Photocathodes with Interfacial Layers.

Organic semiconductors have great potential for producing hydrogen in a durable and economically viable manner because they rely on readily available materials and can be solution-processed over large areas. With the objective of building efficient hybrid organic-inorganic photoelectrochemical cells, we combined a noble-metal-free and solution-processable catalyst for proton reduction, MoS3, and a poly(3-hexylthiophene):phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) bulk heterojunction (BHJ). Different interfacial layers were investigated to improve the charge transfer between P3HT:PCBM and MoS3.

Carbon nanotube-templated synthesis of covalent porphyrin network for oxygen reduction reaction.

The development of innovative techniques for the functionalization of carbon nanotubes that preserve their exceptional quality, while robustly enriching their properties, is a central issue for their integration in applications. In this work, we describe the formation of a covalent network of porphyrins around MWNT surfaces. The approach is based on the adsorption of cobalt(II) meso-tetraethynylporphyrins on the nanotube sidewalls followed by the dimerization of the triple bonds via Hay-coupling; during the reaction, the nanotube acts as a template for the formation of the polymeric layer.

A H-evolving photocathode based on direct sensitization of MoS3 with an organic photovoltaic cell.

An organic solar cell based on a poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT): phenyl-C-butyric acid (PCBM) bulk hetero-junction was directly coupled with molybdenum sulfide resulting in the design of a new type of photocathode for the production of hydrogen. Both the light-harvesting system and the catalyst were deposited by low-cost solution-processed methods, i.e.